Posted by fallsfall on October 24, 2003, at 9:40:50
In reply to Re: DBT skills manual, posted by Penny on October 24, 2003, at 8:01:10
My therapist used to say "You are being so...Fallsfall" as well. Well, what are they expecting us to do???
The bill thing isn't impossible. It does take a little getting used to, but if I can do it, you can do it. Please don't be scared by this post - I'm a little hyper, and I want you to learn from all of my mistakes!
Currently I pay my therapist the co-payment and submit the bills to my insurance company. Initially, plan to submit each bill as you get it, later on they may let you submit once a month or every other week or something.
This is what I do: His bill goes in my pocketbook where I keep my money. I fill out a claim form, put it in an envelope with a stamp and address it (but don't seal it yet). I stop at the gas station or drug store (or use your scanner) to make a copy of the bill (I send them the copy and keep the original - He hand writes them and gives them to me - they have his fingerprints on them! I'm not sending the originals in. They don't care [either about me sending copies, nor about his fingerprints). I WRITE THE DATE THAT I AM MAILING THE ENVELOPE ON THE BACK OF THE BILL (this tells me that I really did do it, and also when, so if the check is late coming back, I know if it is because I submitted it late). Put the copy of the bill with the claim form, seal the envelope and get it into the mailbox. Then I put the bill in a special envelope with my regular bills. When the insurance money comes in, I take the bills out of that envelope and put them in a different "paid" envelope.
Challenges:
1. Really put the bill in your pocketbook in the right place.2. Don't run out of envelopes or stamps (if I were you, I'd set up 4 or 5 in advance so you don't have to worry about this possibility until later.
3. Remember to copy the bill (I make the envelope stick out of my pocketbook and be in the way so that I will remember that I have to stop)
4. As soon as you have the copy, put the whole thing in the first mailbox you can find (I have found that if I wait to put it in the Post Office mailbox, so it will be sure to go out TODAY that I'll forget to go there and the envelope gets lost in my car... I would have done better to put it in the mailbox at the end of my driveway and have the mail man pick it up the next day).
4. Have extra claim forms - always keep one blank claim form on hand so you can make copies of it if you need to. You can fill in the top and then make a copy of the partially filled in form so you don't have to fill it out every time - just put in the date and whatever. I tried this at first. But it is a little too complicated for me right now, so I just use a blank form. My company sends me a blank form with the check - if yours doesn't then get a stack. (I also have a PDF of the form so I can print one if I have to)
6. Don't leave the bill on the copy machine. Put it back in the same place until you can get it into the special envelope. The key is that bills with dates on the back have been submitted and bills without dates haven't.
JUST REMEMBER. Mailing that envelope is the most important thing to do. Stick it out of your pocketbook. Put it on your dashboard (or flat under your speedometer). Tie a string around your finger. Hang it from your rearview mirror. Put a sticker on your nose.
And be glad that the insurance company will help you pay for it!
Good Luck
poster:fallsfall
thread:272353
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20031011/msgs/272671.html